


Hurry Down the Chimmey

by mizufallsfromkumo



Category: Common Law
Genre: Christmas fic, M/M, Non-believing!Wes, Santa!Travis, cliche christmas movie plot, late christmas fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-03-04 14:17:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3071246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wes Mitchell never really believed in Santa Claus when he was growing up.  But then he meet Travis Marks and everything changed.</p><p>(Late Christmas fic)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hurry Down the Chimmey

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Belated Christmast and Happy New Year guys!
> 
> Yeah, this is super late, but this is Christmas fic I was working on for this year. The idea I had was too big for me to write in the time I started till Christmas. On the bright side, at least I got it up before the new year. (Though as my brother told me the other day, the Christmas season doesn't end till around Febuary...so yeas)
> 
> Any way, I wanted to write a plot that was like every original TV Christmas movie out there, where either someone is related to, or is Santa. This is what you got. It's kind of trash, but yeah, I tried.
> 
> (Also because I wanted to get it posted, it's probably not super great because it wasn't beta and my quick read over can only catch so much. Apologizes.)

Wes carefully made his way up and down the aisles of the toy section of the store they were in. He took his mother’s trust in him to handle himself alone there while she looked in another section very seriously. After all he was only five, so it was a very big deal to not have to hold his mother hand while she looked at things. He did not want to ruin her trust in him.

He wandered up and down the aisles, looking at all the toys. The dolls and action figures, games, stuffed animals, toy guns, and little sets. It was all amazing to him as he looked around. Lightly touching some of the boxes on the shelves, just to feel them. He listened to some older boys talk about what they wanted for Christmas, and how they hoped Santa would bring them a certain toy.

A set of some toy cars catches his eye. It has a fire truck and police car, not to mention a really cool looking car that had to be fast, it had flames on the side. Wes reached up and grabbed it from the shelf, inspecting it closely. He wanted it so bad.

He didn’t have many toys at home, and he didn’t see the harm in asking. After all, his father had little cars that he couldn’t play with. Why could Wes be like his father and have his own little cars to what he wanted with? Isn’t that what mother wanted, for Wes to be just like his father? After all they would look very nice on his window sill for all to see.

“There you are Wesley,” His mother’s voice sounded, knocking him out of his staring. “Come on, it’s time to go.”

“Can I get this?” Wes asked without thinking as he ran up to his mother. In all fairness though he never asked for _anything_ , why couldn’t he asked for that.

“Not today, put it back.”

Wes frowned a bit, but not enough for his mother to notice. He nodded and walked back to the shelf to put it back.

A worker was sorting out some toys on the other side of the aisle. She was wearing a cheap Santa hat, which Wes had noticed all the people who worked there wore that time of year. She smiled kindly at Wes. “Maybe if you’re lucky, Santa will give it to you for Christmas.”

Wes brightened at the words.

His mother huffed angrily and stormed over in her heels. She tore the box out of Wes’ hand and forcibly shoved it back on the shelf, knocking a few others over in the process. “Santa isn’t real!” His mother hissed angry. “The only presents under the tree are going to be from your father and I, no one else. Now, that is enough, Wesley, let’s go!” She grabbed Wes arm roughly and pulled him away.

Wes followed like he always did, but he did hope, that maybe, just maybe, the car set would be there Christmas morning.

It wasn’t. In fact, there was hardly anything under the tree Christmas morning and his parents were yelling at each other.

\---- ---- ----

_30 Years Later_

It was that time of year where Christmas carols were blasting in every store. People had a holiday cheer, and every store was having ‘the best sales of the season’. The smell of Evergreens and peppermint was in the air. Decorations and lights cover almost every surfaces in a delicate display of spirit. And it was fucking annoying. Wes didn’t want any part of it. If that made him a Scrooge so be it, the whole thing was an over commercialized mess, piled onto of Christian beliefs attached to some pagan holiday. Yeah, put that in your chestnuts and roast ‘em.

Christmas had died a long time ago for Wes. His parents were never really into it, there was always work to be done and more important things to do, like there always was growing up. The Mitchell’s stopped putting any effort into it when Wes was seven, because there was no point. They stopped getting a tree and everything, and it just kind of became another day. Wes was always taught there was no such thing as Santa or anyone of the sort, from the beginning, and his family wasn’t exactly religious. So there was no need for any of it.

It was kind of hard to shake it when he got older. Some people tried, but it never worked. Not to say that Wes didn’t humor people during the holidays. He did go to a few holiday parties, and bought presents for a few select people in his life. However, he didn’t do much other than that and pushed through the Scrooge comments and frowns, because he was entitled to do what he wanted with his life. And it wasn’t like he didn’t returned people’s “happy holidays,” or lose respect for other people for choosing to make Christmas a thing in their life.

Sometimes, though, he did wish the media and people weren’t so keen to shove it down everyone’s throat.

He growled as _Santa Claus is Come to Town_ came on for the fourth time, granted it was covered by like three different people in that time, it was still the same goddamn song. It was giving Wes a headache as he looked at the racks of shirts in the department store he was in.   He sighed to himself and did his best to block it out as he looked.

Wes wasn’t shopping for anyone but himself. He had needed some new button up shirts, and the holiday sales weren’t exactly a bad thing to take advantage of. The only downside to holiday sales was the fact that pretty much everyone was taking advantage of them at some point at time, usually when Wes had the free time to shop for things. For the moment though, the part of the store he was in was rather calm.

He glanced over a display of brand named button ups. The quality of the fabric was pretty good for the price and the buttons seemed to be of a similar high quality. Wes selected a few colors he knew could go with some of the suits he already had, and searched out his size. He gathered a small pile of shirts in his arms, careful not to cringle them or ruin the crisp folds already there.

He moved over to the display to the left of the other one he was looking at. The display had button ups as well, only of a more causal variety. Something Wes couldn’t wear with any kind of jacket. They had a bolder selection of colors and patterns, and the mannequins were dressed with rolled up sleeves and few buttons done. He figured he could probably use some for when he wasn’t as work.

Wes collected a few more shirts from the second display, before heading over to look at the jeans’ section. A woman and, Wes assumed, her son were there lightly arguing about something. Wes only spared them a small smile as he glanced over the shelves of jeans. It didn’t take him look to find something he liked. Wes prefered the richer and more solid tones in jeans than the ones that appeared to be washed out.

 _All I Want for Christmas is You_ started playing over the store’s speakers and Wes made his way out of the Men’s clothing section. He glanced down at his watch as he tried to shove the fact that Alex loved that song and never failed to turn up the radio when it came on. With another sigh, he looked up as he stepped onto the tiled walkways of the department store.

Suddenly, a cart ran into his hip, and the metal bar from the bottom rack hit his ankle, hard. The clothes in his arms fell to the floor in his surprise. There was an ‘omph’ in the direction the cart has come from; as the driver of the cart seemed to be caught off guard by the sudden stop themselves.

“Ow!” Wes said slowly and firmly, with his anger perfectly contained, as he turned to look at the person behind the handles of the cart.

The person on the other side of the cart was a man about his height with a russet skin tone. The man was wearing some leather jacket and red colored shirt underneath it, along with what looked like fraying jeans, and there was a collection of bracelets on his wrists. He has a strong jawline that was covered in a light shadow of a beard. The guy was blinking in sort of shocked awe and slight panic with wide blue eyes. He sucked in a breath threw his teeth, before his lips pulled up into an awkward smile.

“Shit, man,” The guy started. “Sorry, I didn’t...see you...there.”

“Kind of figured that.” Wes said, frowning at the crumpled lined paper in the man’s hand that he had no doubt been look at.

The man seemed to notice Wes was looked at it and shoved it away in the pocket of his leather jacket. He moved from behind the cart. “You’re okay though, right?” He asked.

“I’m fine.” Wes bites out. It hurt, but he knew it would probably all subside in a few moments and it would be like nothing ever happened.   “You should watch where you’re going.” Wes said as he moved to pick up his clothes from the floor.

The other hurried around the cart to help, but in a manner that he was passer-by helping than the actual person caused the whole thing. “Why? Your move out the way instinct broken?” The other asked, in a tone that was mix of joking and complete seriousness.

He shoved some of the shirts that had managed to not come unfolded at Wes, who had carefully managed to fold one back to the way it was. Wes took them surprised, and gave a huff as he started to rearrange them in his arm, to not ruin them further.

“No, but I shouldn’t have to go out of my way to avoid someone who isn’t looking.” Wes growled. “People get ticketed for stuff like this on the road.”

“Well this wasn’t the 10 last I checked.” The man returned without a beat as he hazardously folded rest of the clothes on the floor. He handed them to Wes, who took them with a disgusted frowned, and placed them onto of the others with a small thanks, before turning to walk away. “Who is all this stuff for?”

“What?” Wes asked turning back.

“The clothes, who are you shopping for?”

Wes looked at the man oddly. “It’s none of your business who these are for?” Wes huffed and started walking away.

A beat hardly past before the sound of the cart wheels turning quickly sounded behind him. “Oh, come on. I have a large...no, _enormous_ family to shop for, I’m just trying to find ideas.”

“From a strange man you hit with a cart, sounds like a solid plan.” Wes growled as the darker man fell in step with him so easily.

“I apologized for that.” The man returned. Wes stopped in his tracks and looked at him, because for a fact, Wes was quite sure the other did no such thing. However, it didn’t seem to register in the guy’s brain. “If you don’t want to be strangers, I’m Travis Marks and it’s very nice to meet you…” The man, Travis, paused holding out his hand for Wes to shake or supply his own name, the blonde wasn’t too sure. Wes just stared at it before rolling his eyes and walking on. “Come on; stop being such a tight ass, what’s the harm in telling me. It’s not like I know the person.”

Travis kept at Wes’ heels for a brief moment, before Wes just gave up. “They’re for me, okay.”

There was beat of silence that was filled with sound of Christmas music.

“So you buy the things you want and then give them to someone else to give you. Efficient, but isn’t that kind of cheating?” Travis said as he leaned on the handle of the cart.

“No!” Wes snapped. He opened his mouth to tell the Travis guy of with the fact that he didn’t exactly do Christmas or any other sort of holiday that season, but he shut it. “You know what, I am not going to disclose my life choices to some idiot who ran me over with a cart. I’m going to check out, and I swear to god if you follow me to the Cashier, I will not hesitate to get security.” He gave Travis a thin grin. “Now if you’ll excuse me…” Wes said as he turned on his heels and stormed off.

To his relief, no one followed him.

\---- ---- ----

“ _Well, it’s the season of giving, and this Beverly Hills couple is pulling out all the stops.”_ Wes heard the news anchor report on the TV behind him.

They launched into some story about some older, childless, rich couple who turned their house into some Winter Wonderland/Santa Emporium for kids to play around in, and let hundreds of less fortunate kids lose in some mall after hours, buying them whatever wanted. The news anchor interviewed the couple who just waved the whole thing off like it was truly nothing for them, while families thanked them. It was a general fluff piece to make everyone feel good.

Wes rolled his eyes at the whole thing as he unpacked his groceries. He knew stories like that were extra popular that time of year, and people get extra applaud for being charitable. Wes never understood why, and he doesn’t exactly want to try. Not to say, Wes doesn’t contribute to the food drives grocery stores sponsor during the holidays, he just doesn’t feel like he deserves a pat on the back for doing something in the holiday season that is generally the right thing to do.

The news turned to more current events and political things that always clog the news up after a commercial break. Wes finished up putting the food he just bought away, all orderly and in the respective places. He had a very delicate system about it.

He was listening to some discussion about some current issue as he folded his grocery bags into a nice pile on the counter, when there was a knock on the door. Wes paused for a moment, before moving to glance at his front through the hallway that lead to the common area of his little home. He raised an eyebrow at the door for a moment. He was expecting anyone, and he couldn’t remember ordering anything, or of any shipping company that delivered after seven pm. Carolers didn’t really bother his house after he was in a mood and yelled at them. Wes lightly clasped and unclasped the reusable bag in his hand, while he wondered if he imagined it. He turned after a beat with a shrug.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Wes immediately returned to spot he had been before to glare at the door. About ten seconds passed before whoever was at the door, attacked the doorbell button. Wes cringed, before storming over to his front door, discarding the grocery bag on some arm chair by the door.

He pressed up against the door, glaring through the peep hole. However in his rage he didn’t exactly look, or give himself anytime to notice details about the person, when he pulled away. He quickly unlocked the door, and tore open his door. Startling whoever was behind it a bit with the force.

“You have my attention, stop with the goddamn bell!” Wes growled out as he pulled himself into view

There was a beat of silence.

A beat where Wes got to look at the person who assaulted his doorbell. Where he saw the leather jacket and fraying jeans with what looked like work boots, along with a collection of bracelets on their wrist. Where he noticed the blue eyes and smiles of the man who hit him with a cart two days before.

“What the hell are you doing at my house?” Was the first thing Wes said.

“Giving you this,” The man, god what was his name, said. He reached into the pockets of his jeans, and pulled out a small golden chain with a small little medallion of St. Christopher hanging form it.   “Or at least I think it’s yours. I noticed it on the ground the other day after you stormed away—”

Wes snatched it up probably a little too quickly, but he couldn’t help it.   He had thought he lost it for good when he noticed it wasn’t his wrist and didn’t find it in his car or at his job. He had figured it fallen off his wrist in some parking lot where he it would a miracle if he found it again. He quickly put it on and shoved it under his watch. The bracelet was a reminder, but he always hid it from prying eyes to not have disclose his reasons for wearing it to curious strangers.

“Uh…you’re welcome?” The guy said as he blinked up from looking at Wes’ wrist.

“Sorry,” Wes said with a slight shake of his head. “Thank you.” Wes fidgeted and pulled at his sleeve. “It’s just, I always sort of wear it, and I thought I lost it.” Wes rambled.

“Yeah, kinda figured from the snatching.” The other said with a bit of laugh and a wide grin. “The chain broke, but I know a guy who fixed it right up for like nothing, so no big deal.” He said waving his hand at Wes before shoving both of them in his pockets of jacket.

Wes gave a nod in awe. He opened his mouth to thank the man a second time because he really honestly didn’t have to do that. However than it struck him. “How the hell do you know where I live?” Wes exclaimed.

The man, Travis, Travis was his name, blinked at him shocked, before he sprang back to life. He dug around in his pocket, and started patting himself down a bit in search of something. “Ah-HA!” He exclaimed as he pulled something out from one of his back jean pockets. “You also dropped this!” Travis held out one of Wes’ business card from the meek little law firm, it was only slightly crinkled. “I looked you up. Well, really my friend did. He’s a cop.”

Wes just started at Travis as he smiled at Wes rather proud of himself. Not only did he know Wes’ name, but his address. “And what if that hadn’t been my business card?”

“You wouldn’t have gotten your bracelet back.”

“The fact that you returned it is stopping me from slamming this door in your face.” Wes warned.

“Well it’s true,” Travis returned in a slightly offended tone, “isn’t it?”

Wes frowned at the fact that he was rather correct in his statement.

“So are you Jewish?” Travis suddenly asked leaning and peering into Wes’ home a bit through the doorway.

“No…”

“Muslim?”

“No.”

“Buddhist?”  

“No.” Wes said firmly. “Why are you asking about my religious beliefs?”

“I just noticed you don’t have any Christmas decorations.”

“I have a wreath!” Wes stressed as he gestured to the simple wreath on his door.

Alex had bought it for him a year after their divorce. _So you don’t look like a complete Scrooge to people_ she had said as she hung it on the door.   The thing wasn’t anything over the top Christmas, save the red and green ribbon on it, but it was enough for Wes to feel comfortable with. Alex knew how he felt about Christmas and all the reasons why, they had been married it was hard for her not too.

“Okay, you have _a_ wreath, but I don’t see a tree or lights, or even snowflakes.” Travis said leaning into the doorway of Wes’ house. “When I saw you, I thought you were doing some sad single Christmas where you gave yourself gifts, but I see that’s not the case.”

“I don’t celebrate Christmas.” Wes growled. Travis looked slightly scandalized. “For my own personal reasons that I’m _not_ telling you.”

“No, okay, cool.” Travis said holding up his hands in defense. “Just expect a visit form the Ghosts of Christmas sometime soon.” Travis chuckled.

Wes just slammed the door closed, and turned sharply on his heels, before walking back to the kitchen.

\---- ---- ----

Usually, Wes slept very soundly through the night. He slept thoroughly from the moment he went to sleep, to the moment his alarm went off in the morning. Very rarely did he wake of for no reason in the middle of the night, or without some loud happening. He hardly ever woke up once, let alone three times.

For some reason, the night after Travis turned up at Wes’ home and mocked his choice to not celebrate Christmas, Wes woke up three times. There was no reason for waking up, but had the strange feeling like someone was watching him, or at the very least messing with him for some reason. It left Wes to toss and turn as well, before he feel back asleep.

Travis’ words just seemed to echo in his head.

Wes growled at the ceiling after he woke up for the third time that night. He was very good at not letting the things people said about his “lacking” Christmas spirit get to him. Or over time he had become numb to most of it. After all he had heard pretty much all of the jokes about it. Yet for some reason Travis’ words were really getting under his skin.

Maybe it was the fact that Wes had just woken up two time before with not explanation. Maybe it was the fact that Travis just found him from a name on a business card. Or maybe it was simply just Travis.

Either way, Wes growled and rolled over to glare at the clock by his bed.

\---- ---- ----

“Well, put it this way, if it was the Ghosts of Christmas that were waking you up, they didn’t exactly do their job.” Jonelle said as she tended the salad she bought for lunch.

Wes and Jonelle had meet through court a while back, a few months after Wes went from being a high end lawyer to being a charitable defender. Jonelle had been on the stand when they first meet, and Wes was cross examining her and her findings in the autopsy for his case. For some reason, Jonelle decided Wes might be a decent person, when he wasn’t trying to do his job and tear her apart on the stand, and got to know him. They had been reasonably good friends ever since.

The blonde let out a breath, because head hoped Jonelle would have just told him he need more vitamin whatever and be done with it.  

“Jonelle, I’m being serious.” Wes grumbled as he pushed the left over pasta he packed for lunch around with his fork.

“Me too.” Jonelle said with a bit of a laugh. She took a bit of salad and swallowed before letting out a breath with a more serious feel. “Come on Wes, don’t let it bother you. You get countless Christmas Carol jokes when you tell people you don’t do Christmas. I mean the guy sounds like a jerk, but it’s not any different.”

“But it _does_ bother me for some reason, and I don’t know why.”

Jonelle gave a sigh, and rolled her eyes with a bit of a smile. “I don’t think it matters, let’s just have lunch, catch up, then go back to work.”

Wes just nodded in agreement. Jonelle smiled and changed the subject to some new forensic personal that was driving her insane with their methods and chicken scratch writing. Wes didn’t have much to talk about personally, but the two found plenty of other things to talk about.

Before they knew it, lunch was over, and they had to return to work, well Jonelle did. She gave Wes a hurried parting, since she was apparently running a bit later than she planned and had to run. Wes let her go, before glancing at his watch to find he had time to kill. A lot of time, reasonably, to kill, since his boss urged him to take a long lunch, since Wes worked through most of his. So Wes figured a walk through the shopping center he was in won’t hurt.

The shopping center wasn’t too crowded. It was busy with people buying gifts, but the crowd was manageable. Plus the people helped block out most of the Christmas songs that the center and shops had playing. There isn’t too much that holds Wes’ interest there shop wise. After all he doesn’t really need to buy gifts; he already shopped for most of the people he exchanged gifts with, and he wasn’t the target customers of most of the shops.

Wes walked by the Santa the place has set up. Glancing over the line of drawn out parents and their unsuspecting or excited kids on their way to meet Santa.   Wes remembered always walking by it as kid, not completely sure if he should feel jealous or better than the kids in the line. After all his parents had made him grow up with the truth. He wasn’t jealous when he saw the sign that Santa was taking a short break and be back soon.

“Hey, you here to see Santa?” A voice said behind Wes, causing him to jump a bit.

Wes turned to find Travis smiling widely at him. He went to roll his eyes when he suddenly noticed what Travis was wearing. “Why are you dressed like an Elf?”

“I’m work the camera over at Santa’s Winterland over there.” Travis said glancing down at his uniform. “Well it was either this or Santa.” Travis shrugged out. “You can’t work in Winterland without an outfit, so I didn’t have much of a choice.”

Wes smiled. “So you take pictures of screaming, scared children for a living. Charming.”

“Nah, this is just to help make some ends meet this time of year.” Travis said.   “And I’ll have you know, I’ve very good with children, I’ve never taken a picture where any kid is screaming.” He grinned widely with pride and Wes rolled his eyes. “You know if you wanted to meet Santa, I can more than introduce you to him.”

“First of all, Santa isn’t real,” Wes returned with a huff. “Second, I’m a grown man, and third, I need to get back to work, excuse me.”

“Suit yourself, Wes.” Travis said as Wes passed him back.

Wes whipped around to shot Travis a glare before he hurried away to his car, hoping that was the last of running into the man.

\---- ---- ----

As the universe would have it, it was not the last time Wes ran into the other man. Wes ran into the man at least three more times in the week that followed. It was all coincidence, it just had to be, because that was how the universe worked, that or Travis was stalking him, which Wes doubted. After all Travis had his own reasons for being where he was when Wes there.

The first time after the Elf costume run in, as Wes had dubbed it in the events that followed, at the shopping center, Travis was staring at the assortment of chocolate chips in the baking section of the aisle.   A basket with a mount of cooking sweets, frosting tubes of all colors, and sprinkles in it on the floor beside him as he muttered to himself a bit about things. That time he was in the leather jackets and faded jeans.

Wes had run to the store when he discovered he was running low on Italian Herb, and run out to get another container of to replenish his spices collection when he was done cooking dinner that evening. He had rounded the corner and just grabbed the closest thing to him before he turned and looked down the aisle and found Travis squatting by the baked goods.

In reality, Wes probably could have prevented an encounter with the darker man, but he couldn’t stop the “You have _got_ to be kidding me,” from coming out. It was what had caught Travis’ attention and before Wes knew it, he was in a conversation for the guy. Wes jabbed at the amount of sweets in Travis basket, before Travis disclosed he was baking cookies with like four of his foster mother and an assortment of foster siblings. It was a fact Wes was a little surprised to learn, but Travis didn’t seem to mind sharing it.

Wes had left with a small goodbye, and paid for the herbs. When he reached in his pocket to get his keys he found a small candy cane as well. He unlocked his car and glanced back at the store, before shaking his head and driving home.

The second time, Alex’s car was having an issue and she had asked Wes to tag along so she didn’t get swindled by them. That and she didn’t want to have sit around at the auto shop for hours with nothing to do.

Wes had been waiting outside for Alex to finish up in the auto shops office, when someone suddenly yelled at him. He turned to find Travis smiling at him from the end of the garages at the place as he seemed to be wiping his hands with a dirty towel. He came running over before Wes could do anything.

Apparently, Travis’ foster brother owned the place, and he worked there from time to time, whenever they needed him. It was the first thing Travis told him when he reach him, like he just knew Wes was going to ask him why he was there.   Wes fell into a small conversation; well it was more like banter because Travis just seems to know how to get under Wes skin. That and he asked if Wes was growing any Christmas spirit or something. Alex came out after a few minutes. Wes introduced Travis to her, saying he was the reason for his recent rigidness , Travis supplied his name and shook her hand.

The two chatted lightly about a few things, Wes’ lack of Christmas being one of them, before Wes pulled them a part. Travis waved goodbye, before he ran off back to his work in the garage.

The third time was at one of Wes’ old friend’s Holiday party. It was pretty much the only party Wes went to during the holidays without fail. It was a large party, and most of Wes other friends went as well through some connection. Plus it wasn’t overly Christmas, that was the foundation for the party, but that was about it.

Wes had slipped away from the crowds for few moments of peace, when stumbled upon Travis uncorking wine bottles in the kitchen. He pulled a cork free from some bottle of white wine as he greeted Wes with “Do you ever wear something without buttons?” The blonde just shook his head, because of all the place he through he could run into Travis this was not one of them.

Travis offered Wes a drink of whatever the wine was. Wes corrected him with the name as Travis pulled out a wine glace from a plastic crate. Wes asked Travis was he was doing there, and the other told him his foster father owned the catering service and was a few hands short as he poured Wes a glass.   They just kind of started talking as Travis got back to uncorking a few more bottles, the some servers whisked away after a few minutes, and Wes drink his wine.  

After about ten minutes, an older man popped his head in the door way of the kitchen and called Travis away. The darker man just went with a sort of ‘duty calls’ look to him. Wes watched him go and hung around the kitchen for a bit. As he walked out he noticed a line of wine bottles on the counter, all unopened, and a huge tube of ice filled with opened ones. That was when he realized his wine was still chilled.

\---- ---- ----

Food trucks were not something Wes went out of his way to go to, for plenty of reasons. But there was one there, outside his office, and he was starving. He had been so caught up in going over the evidence given to him by the District Attorney, and going over the notes he had from his client, and coming up with a strategy to keep them out of prison. He hadn’t eaten in a while, and driving home to cook seemed like feet to do.

To his luck, at least it was a decent food truck he had heard some of his coworker’s praise, and they had a decent selection of healthy foods to choice from. They also advertised that everything was fresh. Wes ordered some grilled chicken salad with all the works and some raspberry dressing. He paid and waiting near the pick-up window.

He pulled out his phone to distract himself from the wonderful smells that were coming from the truck and making his stomach ache. He skimmed through a few emails; ultimately there wasn’t much for him to look at. However he kept his phone out just as some visual form of distraction.

“An order of fries and a lemonade, man, thanks.” Wes suddenly heard a familiar voice to his left.

He looked over to see exactly who he that was, Travis, leaning against the truck as he ordered. Wes honestly didn’t seem surprised, he almost kind of half exacted Travis to just turn up where ever he went . The blonde watched the other pay for his order and collect his drink and change, before awkwardly shoving the change in one of his jean pockets as he walked over to the pick-up side of the truck.

“Are you stalking me?” Wes asked once Travis got closer.

Travis blinked up at the sound of his voice. “Hey, Wes,” he returned with a smile.

It should be weird that Travis knows his name, considering Wes never really introduced himself and Travis got it from a business card Wes dropped when the first meet. Then again the fact that they keep running into each other randomly should be weird too. However, it was starting to feel rather normal every meeting.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Wes said flatly. “Are you stalking me?”

“No. Dude, trust me, I have much better things to do than obsess over and follow your tight, non-celebrating-Christmas ass around all day.” Travis said nonchalantly as he took a drink with his straw.

Wes looked closely for anything that could give the man away in a lie. A panic look in the eyes, or a subtle fidgeting, or just a general disability to make eye contact. A few of Wes’ co-workers had been stalked and there was always a yearly meeting about what to look for at his office. Wes didn’t see any of it. He still gave Travis a skeptical look, just to see if that caused anything. It didn’t, Travis just shrugged.

“If your paranoid, I working in a Christmas tree lot all day. The people there can totally verify that for you.” Travis said, glancing down at his shirt. “See sap,” he pointed to one of the specks on his shirt. “And I’m pretty sure I still smell like them.”

Travis held up his arm in Wes’ personal space for him to smell. The blonde rolled his eyes and refused to lean in to sniff his arm. Though he could smell the scent of pine lingering, and an underlying tone of baked goods. Wes pulled back with a bit of glare as he pushed Travis arm down and away from him, and gave a small sort of nod that he got it.

A silence settled between them for a moment as they just waited for their food.

“Grilled Chicken Salad,” Someone called as they shoved a Styrofoam container out of the pick-up window, breaking the silence.

Wes turned to collect it. He was happy to find a little plastic-wrapped disposable silverware set laying on top of it.  

“So,” Travis said with a pit of a pause as Wes grabbed some extra napkins. “Are you here to see the lights?”

“The lights?”

“You know, the Christmas light display, slash, walk through thing they have here.” Travis said pointing to the park the truck was parked next to. Wes, in fact, it not know about it, since he didn’t exactly pay attention to things like that. “That’s why you’re here right? It’s like the one Christmas thing you do or something?”

“No, I literally work in that building.” Wes said pointing across the street towards the little city office building he worked out of without thinking. “I’m just getting dinner before I go home.” He paused for a moment, and watched the people strolling into the park towards the bits of Christmas lights that were peeking out of the plants that guarded the courtyard of the park. “I didn’t know this existed.”

“Well, I’m sure if you didn’t tune out all things Christmas you would have noticed the signs for it.” Travis said into his straw. Wes gave Travis a flat look. “Hey, Scrooge hated Christmas, he didn’t ignore it.”

“I don’t hate Christmas,” Wes snapped, “and I don’t _ignore_ it either. I just choose not make a big deal out an imaginary fat man giving gifts to children on a Christian religious day that was slapped on a pagan celebration. It’s just another day of the year, and a holiday companies have blown way out of proportion. There is no point to it.”

Travis let out a whistle when Wes finished his little rant. “Wow, you are one messed up dude.”

Wes rolled his eyes. “Fuck off.”

“I mean that in the best way possible.” Travis returned with a laugh. Wes kicked at his ankle with a small huff. “You want to come see the lights with me?”

No, Wes wanted to go to his car and eat his meal in peace. He wanted to get out of there and go home and decompress from the day.   He wanted to curl up in bed and sleep till Christmas had past and he wasn’t the weirdo who didn’t celebrate.

“Yeah,” Wes said before he realized what the word had been on his tongue.

“Great!” Travis smiled. “We’ll go when my food is ready.”

“Okay.” Wes said as he mentally kicked himself for not being able to say he changed his mind or find some reason to go.

The blonde sighed to himself, as he broke the dispensable silverware out of the plastic it was in. He pulled the fork free; before popping open the top of the container his salad was in. Wes started eating, remembering he how hunger he had been when he saw the food.

Travis order only took a few more minutes to be ready. The other man led the way towards the light display/walk through set up. Wes kept in step beside him on the little pathway towards the center of the park. As they grew closer, Christmas lights started to line the sides of the sidewalk and into some of the bushes. It grew more and more as they neared.

The center of the park was reasonably full of people looking at the lights. There wasn’t much too them really. There were a few lighted wire figures, as well as some strings of lights making up something, and little color outlines of things like candy canes and other sweets. Icicle lights hung from the trees, a few with flickering lights like they were dripping  It was something every public place seemed to have for Christmas light decorations.

“Let’s go sit over there,” Travis said, suddenly pulling Wes over to some ledge to sit.

“Hey, careful!” Wes snapped when he almost dropped his salad in the process.

Travis just gave him a wide grin as he said down on the edge some short wall surrounding the center of the park. Wes rolled his eyes and sat next him. He didn’t mind being able to sit down and eat.

“I think you’re going to like this.” Travis said with a mouthful of fries.

“Like what?”

Before Travis could answer, the whole center went dark.   It was dark for a good fifteen seconds, before Tchaikovsky’s _Russian Dance_ from the _Nutcracker_ started playing. The lights sprang back to light, matching the temp and beat visually. All the lights in the center were completely programmed to the sound. Suddenly some lights, that Wes hadn’t even notice were there behind him, came to life with the song, catching him presently surprised, and became part of the show.

As quickly as it started it stopped. People clapped as the whole center went dark again. About five seconds later another song started up, some song by Trans-Siberian Orchestra if he remembered correctly. A few more songs followed after that one finished. All of which were Christmas carols, that Wes had always tuned out. The little show ended with _White Christmas_ and all of the lights fading into white and flickering about accordingly, before it went dark again.

“That,” Travis said as the lights returned to how they had first been originally.

Wes was quiet for a moment. He looked at the lights, and watched as the people moved on and away from the center. The light display wasn’t anything out of the ordinary in reality, but there was something that was magical about it. Wes didn’t know why, but it just felt that way.

“It was something.” Wes said as neutral as possible, however he was pretty sure he sounded way more impressed than disappointed.

“Told you, you’d like it.” Travis smiled out.   He hopped up from his place on the ledge and collected his garbage. “Come on; finish eating so we can go look around.”

Wes looked down at the salad in his lap, which he had completely forgotten he had had, the light show had transfixed him. He had managed to eat about half of it, and he probably could eat more, but he didn’t feel hungry. Not that Travis rocking on his heels helped him want to eat any. He ate a few more bites to feel like he wasn’t completely wasting it. He closed the lid, and got up to throw it away in a nearby trash can, with Travis at his heels.

“Alright lets’ go.” Wes said as Travis still waited with him with a heavy air of impatience.

Travis almost seemed to take off at the words, leading Wes along before he slowed down. Again the lights that lined the pathway were nothing overly special. Similar to the lights that were in the center. There was still something about them though, that Wes just seemed to enjoy. He didn’t even seem to care that they were over the top Christmassy.

The walk through area wasn’t to overly long, it wasn’t horrible short either, but there was a sort of want for more at the end. Travis and Wes just kept walking the streets, looking at the store fronts and cheap decorations some places used.

After a while conversation started to flow between them rather easily. It had started to turn from the decorations, people, and lights around them to them actually talking about themselves to the other. Travis told Wes about how and why he grew up in foster care, and how Christmas had always been the time of year he looked forwards too. Wes opened up more about why he didn’t celebrate Christmas, how is parents just kind of stopped one year, and he was always taught that Santa wasn’t real.

Before they knew it, two hours had passed.

“Shit, I need to head home.” Wes said as he looked down as at his watch. “Thank you for asking me to go to the light thing, I enjoyed it.”

“Maybe we should do it again,” Travis said with a smile. “Perhaps Friday, we can catch dinner and do something.”

Wes blinked at the other before he suddenly narrowed his eyes.

“Like a date.” Travis suddenly clarified like Wes was super dense. “I’m asking you on a date.”

The blonde felt his cheeks and ears heat up. “Uh…yeah, Friday is fine, I guess.”

“Great.” Travis beamed. “I’ll call or text you to figure out details.” Wes opened his mouth to demand how Travis even had his number. “Your cell number was on the business card you drop when we meet, so calm down.”

“You know we’ve never really probably introduced ourselves to each other.” Wes said after a beat of silence.

“I did, you kind of blew me off.” Travis said absently, causing Wes to huff. “But I see your point.” Travis suddenly cleared his throat and held out his right hand for Wes. “Hi, I’m Travis Marks.”

“Wesley Mitchell, nice to you, you can call me Wes.” Wes said as he took Travis hand and gave it a good shake.

“I look forward to see you on Friday.”

“Me too.”

\---- ---- ----

“I have a date.” Wes informed at another lunch with Jonelle.

They had both run into each other in the court house.   Wes had just finished out a case, that had been relatedly easy and he managed to prove his client’s innocence and Jonelle had finished her testimony for a case. They decided to grab lunch together before they got back to their respective jobs.

Jonelle made a sound across from him and raised his eyebrow. “Is that supposed to be some kind of Christmas Miracle?”

“No.” Wes said before he thought about it. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?! Wes, what the hell is that supposed to mean?” Jonelle questioned firmly. “I mean, good job on getting a date and many blessings, but what do you mean ‘maybe’ in answer to a Christmas Miracle. Because if I remember correctly you don’t believe in either of those things.”

Wes pushed some of the food around his plate with his fork. “I don’t know.” He shrugged out, because he didn’t know why he would even said yes to the date in the first place, he just did. “Remember that guy who came to my house that I told you about.” Jonelle nodded with concern growing on her face. “Well, I’ve been running into him repeatedly over the past couple of weeks. I mean way more than anyone runs into anyone they know, almost in a cliché movie way. But the other night I ran into him, and agreed to go see this Christmas light by my work with him. I don’t know, the whole thing was kind of magical, for lack of a better word, and I agreed to see him again.”

“Did you hit your head?” Jonelle asked after a beat of silence settled between them. “Or better yet, did you start taking drugs?”

“Jonelle,” Wes sighed, rolling his eyes.

“I mean it, Wes. I never thought I’d hear you say the word magical without some sort of sarcastic tone. What is going on with you?”

“I honestly don’t have a clue.” Wes said leaning forward to hide his face in shame, only peeking out at Jonelle slightly. “What is wrong with me?”

Jonelle hummed, before she leaned forward of the table and smile. “Beats me, but it sounds like the Grinch’s heart is growing three sizes and he’s feeling.”

Wes just groaned, because he knew she was right.

\---- ---- ----

Friday came quicker than expected, which was relatively okay, because at least the week didn’t drag on. Work kept Wes rather busy, so he didn’t have time to much time to actually think about the date, or come to dread its approach.

Travis reached out the day before, to see what time Wes wanted him to show up at his house.   It caused a bit of an argument as to why they couldn’t meet up somewhere, but Travis wanted to keep it surprised. He gave Wes no room to argue because he asked Wes out, if and when Wes asked Travis out for a date, Travis told him he could handle the details of the date. Wes grumbled into the phone that Travis was being a cocky little shit, and he heard Travis laugh on the other end. Eventually they managed to agree to meeting at around 7:30 at Wes’ house.

Wes got out of work at a reasonable time, to some of his co-workers surprise, since Wes usually stayed behind for an hour or too.   Despite some traffic, Wes got back to his house within the hour. He used the spare time to freshen up and change out of his suit into some jeans. From what his time with Travis, Wes was pretty sure the man wasn’t going to take him to anything fancy or with a dress code above business casual.

7:30 passed for a full ten minutes before there was a knock on Wes’ front door. Wes grabbed his keys, phone, and wallet as he made his way to the door. He glanced through the peek hole just to check to make sure it was Travis.

“You’re late.” Wes stated as he opened the door. “By ten minutes.”

Travis gapped at him a moment, kind of like Wes had blindsided him with the fact. “Better late than never,” Travis tried before Wes gave him a flat look. “I got held up at work, and I, maybe, slightly, under predicted how long it would take me to get here.” Travis huffed. “It’s not my fault.”

Wes rolled his eyes as he stepped out his doorway. “You literally just admitted it was you’re fault.”

“I said I _maybe slightly_ underestimated, it really could have just been traffic and I was completely right in my estimation.”

“Could just have been you were late.” Wes gasped sarcastically and turned to give Travis a fake shocked look as he locked his front door.

“Oh, are trying to make a joke right now? Is this you being funny?” Travis asked with a confused sarcastic tone as he bit back a bit of a smile. “You’re terrible.”

“Can we just go?” Wes said giving Travis a slight shove, like he had knew the man for years, instead of days, and motioned to follow the path from his front door.

Travis chuckled a slightly as he turned to walk down the path. Wes followed after shaking his head. As much as Wes knows that their date is going to logically be a disaster, he can’t help but noticed how normal it feels. Almost like they had done it a thousand times, despite having meet two weeks before.   As much as he hoped the date would be horrible, because he sure as hell would have a reason not to see Travis again, there was small part, like the voice in the back of his head small, that prayed it worked out. Why, he wasn’t too sure, but it was there.

Something suddenly hit Wes in the stomach and knocked him out of his thoughts. His arms wrapped around it out of instinct and surprised, and he caught Travis saying ‘here’ as he pulled away his arm.   Wes looked down to find a black round object, and when he inspected it, quickly found it was an helmet.  

He glanced up at Travis, only to find him saddling a motorcycle, leaning on his own helmet just watching him. The smile on his face seemed to fade a bit as Wes felt his face drop a little bit.

“Something wrong?” Travis asked, straightening up a bit.

Yes, something was very wrong. Wes was not a motorcycle sort of person, hell most of his family wasn’t, save the few who had rebelled. The thing is death trap just waiting to strike at any moment. “I’m not getting on that,” Wes started, pausing to glare at the machine, “thing.”

“Why?”

“It’s a motorcycle.” Wes said logically. Travis blinked at him for a moment. “You are aware how many people _die_ on one of those things.”

“The world is a dangerous place, and you go outside your house.” Travis countered. He grinned suddenly. “Besides, I was the one in charge of the details of this date. When you do it, you can decided how we get there.”

Wes crossed his arms, trying to think of someway to argue out of the issue or persuade Travis into letting him drive his car or something.

“Come on, live a little, Wes.” Travis said.

Wes stood there stubbornly for a few more moments before he huffed and shoved the helmet on his head. “Fine, but if I die, I’m blaming you, no matter what.” Wes said as he slid on the back behind Travis.

Travis laughed as he put on his helmet. He turned to reach back and grab one of Wes’ wrists, and pulled it forward and around, so one of Wes’ arms was wrapped around his torso. Wes pulled his other arm around Travis, and the other started the bike, and rolled out.

\---- ---- ----

“Alright we’re here?” Travis declared as the motorcycle below them come to a stop.

The engine quieted, the rumble it produced turned into softer sort more popping gurgling rumbles.   About fifteen seconds later the engine cut its grumbling and went silent. Wes felt the bike shift to the side a bit below him. He knew it was Travis moving it so he could get off.

Wes didn’t move an inch.

His face was completely buried in Travis back as it had been for most of the ride. Wes had his eyes closed as well and all he could smell was leather, motor oil, and whatever collogue Travis was wearing. For once he can hear; the roaring wind and screaming engine only leaving a ringer in their wake.  He was also completely ridged and tight. His fear for just being on the thing and feeling it move beneath him, both when he could see where they were going and not, had made him tense up.

After a moment Travis lightly patted at Wes’ hands that were gripping at to the other’s shirt. A silent sign to let go, as if Wes forgot how to function.

“You alright back there?” He asked gently.

“Yeah,” Wes replied. His voice wavered with the breath he let out. “I just…I just need a minute.”

“Okay.” Travis said like this wasn’t the first time this had happened and he could sit there for days if that’s how long Wes needed. It was reassuring to here in the tone. He was quiet for a moment before he started talking again. “On the bright side, at least you didn’t have to scramble to get off so you could hurl or something.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t feel like I’m going to.” Wes returned.

Wes took a few deep breaths to calm himself, and swallowed back the feeling of nausea. Everything had gone fine. They had gotten where they were supposed to go in one piece. Aside from being terrified out of his mind, he was okay. Completely fine. It helps him loosen up a bit. But then he remembers he had to get back on the thing to go home, and he suddenly feels dizzy. He just repeated to himself that he survived the trip there; he could survive the trip back better, now that he knew what it was like. Eventually that helps the tension going away quickly.

He straightened up; taking his face out of Travis’ back, and releasing the man form his grip. Wes took another breath before he stepped off the vehicle. Travis turned to him and gave him a quick look over before he moved to but the kickstand down. Wes took off his helmet and took another deep breath. Travis took the helmet from him silently, securing it on his back next to his own.

Wes glanced around him as he started to feel more like himself. They were in some large parking lot, filled with cars, and people walking in mostly the same direction. All a mix of families, groups of high school and colleges kids, and plenty of couples. Wes followed looked in the direction of where the people were going. He frowned when he saw the lit up sign at what seemed to be the entrance.

“Santa’s Reindeer Christmas Fair…” Wes said turning to Travis who was smiling at in the direction of the sign. “This is where you take me?”

“It’s the only fair in the area.” Travis said turning to him. “It’s extremely hard to not find something Christmas related this time of year.”

“Christmas part aside, you’re seriously taking me to a fair.” Wes said wrinkling his nose. A fair is not exactly his first choice as a place to spend his time. “Why?”

“’Cause, in the movies their always best dates.” Travis said as he started walking towards the entrance.

“This is real life, Travis, not some movie.” Wes snapped as he followed after him.

“Doesn’t mean it won’t still be fun.” Travis sang back.

Travis seemed to ignore Wes’ rant behind him as he walked towards the entrance. He would laugh at something Wes said occasionally, so Wes knew he was listening to him some.  Eventually Wes stopped when he remember how much his own life had been start to feel like some sort of movie he couldn’t escape. He fell in step with Travis, and the other man started to tell him about the fair.

How it had actual live, real reindeer for people to pet and interact with in a controlled environment. And how it of course had all the typical fair stuff like the food, games, and rides one would expect.   Plus there were tons of shows and plenty of entertainment. Wes chuckled slightly at the other’s excitement. Mostly because Travis was jumping up and down like a little kid without actually jumping up and down.

As they neared the archway of the sign with the name of the fair written in Christmas lights, Travis produced two tickets. He grinned and let the way towards the ticket handlers at that lined the front entrance. Some old woman with a Santa hat and an honestly good attitude for her job took their ticket stubs. She wished them a good time as she let them through. After that they were in.

Santa’s Reindeer Christmas fair didn’t not exactly look like a fair upon entering. There were a series of Christmas displays that lined the main pathway into the park.   A smaller, less decorated path went off in another direction, probably more to where the fair was. However, people were walking in the opposite direction and seemed to be exiting the place.

“You want to skip all this and go to were all the fun and games are?” Travis said, gesturing to the side path with his thumb.

“I don’t mind going down the main way.” Wes said. “I told you I don’t hate or ignore Christmas stuff. I went to the light thing with you. I can handle most Christmas stuff without going insane.”

Travis smiled and started walking along the displays. Most of which had pretty great craftsmanship and set ups and aesthetics. All were the pretty over the top in your face Christmas and Santa themed, but there was a balance of just winter themes that balanced it all out for Wes. The displays ended as the path sort of curved, and the fair part started to become more and more dominate.

“Oh look there are the reindeer!” Travis exclaimed.

Wes turned to look where he was pointing, catching sight of fence and hay, before he was suddenly yanked along by his arm. Travis pulled him along, right up to a spot on the wooden fence that was completely empty. Few people had gathered in spots along the fence, standing on it and reaching. All the reindeer, which were a lot more massive than Wes would ever think, where mostly in the middle out of reach. There was a smell to the area that was common with most animals, which made wrinkle his nose a bit.

He glanced over at Travis, who was leaning on the fence looking at them, brimming with excitement.   Travis was reaching slightly, snapping his fingers and making little noises to get the attention of the animals.

“They’re not dogs, Travis.” Wes said rolling his eyes. “That’s not going to work.”

“Oh really?” Travis returned as he looked forward.

Wes turned to see one of the reindeer come walking over in steady strides. Another was a few steps behind it, while the third seemed to be looking in their directions debating on walking over. Wes blinked at the sight, and tried to swallow a gasp. He heard Travis chuckled a bit beside him; Wes shot him a glare and a bit of a pout, and kicked at his ankle.

The first reindeer pushed forward so its head was over the fence, nuzzling Travis’ hand over the as well. Wes took a step back, while Travis pushed himself off the fence, and just seemed to pat the front of its snout. It looked between the two of them. Travis leaned just out of the way of its antlers as it looked around. The second reindeer followed the first’s example and put its head over the top of the fence. Only it was directly in front of Wes. It gave a loud huff, before it sniffed at Wes’ person.

“He’s not going to hurt you.” Travis said as he moved to see Wes around the reindeer.

“I know,” Wes snapped as he hesitantly held up his hand, like he was going to be it.

The reindeer sniffed at his hand. Wes felt its warm breath on his palm, and all he had to do was drop his hand a few inches to touch it. He wasn’t going to, the last thing he wanted to do was touch it, but it seemed content just sniffing him. The third one came over as well, pushing between the first two to see what everything was about.

Suddenly, it seemed like there was herd of children around them, all hurrying through to get to get close and pet the reindeer. They almost instantly took the reindeers’ attention from Wes as they suddenly became interested in the new smells of the children. He stepped back to allow them more space and get out of the mod that had gathered. Wes turned to see Travis lift up some little girl who had to be about three so she could pat at the first reindeer’s snout.   She giggled happily before Travis put him back down.

After, Travis himself worked his way out of the sudden swarm of people. He smiled at Wes looking completely proud of himself.

“Get your fill of reindeer for the day?” Wes asked in a slightly teasing tone as he crossing his arms.

“It’s not like I get to see them every day.” Travis smile out. “Besides, now the kids actually have something pet instead of just looking at them in the middle of the pen.”

“You’re such a hero. Now, can we continue on?”

Travis nodded and started to walk along the pathway which was becoming more and more rides and fair games. Wes fell in step beside him, but not without noticing the reindeer were following Travis along the fence.

\---- ---- ----

As much as it pained Wes slightly to say it, simply because it made him wonder if he was suddenly the protagonist of a movie, the fair date was a winner. The whole thing went great.

Travis attempted to talk Wes into going on almost every single ride in the place. That did not get very much in his favor. Wes only agreed to go on three of them, because as Travis put it, they were the staple of all fair dates. Plus it was fun to crash into Travis on a bumper car as a small payback for the horrifying motorcycle experience. Wes also agreed to the Farris wheel and the swings that just went around.

Wes spent way too much money on fair games, only because it turned into some sort of competition. It all started when Travis won him some spotted little elephant stuffed animal, which looked like it came from Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. How Travis knew he even wanted it in the first place, was beyond Wes, but he insisted he could win his own prizes, thank you very much. Which kind of caused both of them to win a bit too many prizes, but Travis just kind of handed them all off to kids randomly, till they were just left with the elephant that started it all.

After that they had sat down for some fair food. Well, more like Travis did, while Wes scowled at it and tried not to think about how bad and gross it was for him. However he did take the cotton candy Travis offered him, just to get him to stop asking Wes to try everything else he had.

In the end Wes did have a really good time. The ride back to his place on the motorcycle wasn’t as bad as the first, which didn’t put a damper on anything.   He had allowed Travis one kiss when they parted. Travis seemed to make sure it made his head spin in a dizzyingly good way, before he left.

Wes entered his house after watching Travis speed away on his bike. He put his keys on their respective hook. He plopped down on couch in the room off his kitchen and let out a sigh. He glanced down at the little elephant Travis had won, and placed it beside him in the corner of the couch, before flopping happily into the pillows of the other side of the couch.

He hadn’t felt that happy and good in a long time. Not since his first kiss in seventh grade. Not since homecoming his junior year when his high school’s football team’s punter totally got to second base with him in the locker room. Not since Alex.

“I’m so fucking screwed.” He muttered into the pillow.

He was in love with a man who hit with a shopping cart while Christmas shopping.

\---- ---- ----

“You seem oddly chipper for this time of the year.” Alex complemented.

She was sitting at Wes’ counter while he poured her a glass of water. She had come over to give Wes the Christmas gift she got him and some of her mother’s Holiday nut roll that Wes loved. She stayed to catch up a little bit, because she still worries about him.  

Wes turned to look at her. She was sitting there looking at him with her chin resting on her palm, as she seemed to try to figure out what made him like that, and why. Wes rolled his eyes slightly, before he handed her the glass of water.

Things with Travis were working out great. Better than he could have ever expected for seriously meeting someone weeks before after they hit him with their shopping cart. But it was fantastically so.

They had gone out of a few more dates after their successful date at the fair. Wes took Travis out for dinner one evening when he showed up at his job just out of the blue.   Travis had come to hang out with him another evening, and he stayed way too late but Wes didn’t mind. There had been a rather meaningful talk about how Travis had commitment issues and a horrible dating record, but it wasn’t like that with Wes, because he was something special.  Wes and Travis also went to some drive throw movie theater to see _It’s a Wonderful Life_. They had an argument about what kind of name Clarence was for an angel, let alone a name for anyone else, on the ride back. Plus Travis reenacting the overacting in the movie was reasonably enjoyable when he didn’t do it during the movie.

“You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?” Alex said, as the corner of her lips pulled up a bit.

Wes felt his ears heat up.

“You are!” She exclaimed as she smiled widely. “Who is it?”

“Alex, is this really necessary?” Wes asked.

She just nodded hurriedly. “Considering it took you two years after our divorce to move out of the hotel you were in, it’s complete necessary.” She said waving her hand about. “Besides, I know you didn’t put the little ornaments and pine cones in your wreath.”

“That was Travis!” Wes snapped. “He just came over and made a mess on my dining room table. Then he tried to charm his way out of cleaning it.” Wes paused for a moment, catching Alex’s amused look out of the corner of his eyes. “Seriously, I can’t believe after few dates he thinks he can just do whatever he wants to my decorations.”

“Wait, the Travis from the auto repair shop?” Alex asked with a confused look. “Are you see him?”

Wes was quiet for a moment. “Yes,” he admitted sheepishly.

Alex giggled suddenly. “He’s not what I pictured you would go for, but good for you Wes.” She reached out to touch his arm lightly.

“Honestly, I’m surprised it’s been going so well.” Wes said.

In reality Travis and him probably shouldn’t work out. They could argue at the drop of a hat, and come from completely different ends of society. But everything felt so natural between them, so fluid and balanced.

Wes asked about how things were going in Alex’s relationship. Nothing much had changed from the last time it came up. Alex stayed to talk with him for five more minutes about bits and pieces. She left with the gift Wes had gotten her and wished Wes a happy new year. She drove away with one last wave and disappeared down the road. He went back inside and finished the chores, cleaning, and laundry he had been doing when Alex came over.

About three hours after Alex left, Wes’ phone rang. He was in the process of folding some towels as it rang on the coffee table behind him. Travis name was listed on the caller ID, as well as the picture he had taken to go with it. Wes picked up after the second ring, he put it on speaker, and gave a quick hello.

“ _Hey, Wes,_ ” Travis said on the other line. Wes could hear the smile he knew the other had on his lips. “ _You mind if I come over tonight?”_

“No, not at all.” Wes said as he went back to folding. “Why do you ask, don’t you usually just show up?”

“ _Last time you got all pissy when I did that.”_

“You made a giant mess with my wreath, which was completely _fine_ the way it was.”

“ _I’d just figured I should ask. I need to talk to you about something.”_

Wes froze and looked at his phone in a minor panic. He knew those words and their meaning all too well. It was the days before junior prom, and the conversations coming to a point at divorce papers all over again. “Oh,” He said slowly after a moment. So much for the whirlwind of whatever was happening between them.

“ _It’s nothing bad!”_ Travis said quickly, dashing the wrong idea away as quickly as he could. “ _I just need to tell you something…well I guess it’s kind of important…about me. It’s just something you should know if this is going where I think it is.”_

Wes let out a small breath of relief. “Alright, you want to come by in a few hours. I should be here all day.”

 _"I think I can manage that. Later, Wes._ ” Travis replied before the call went dead.

Wes refolded all of his towels three times after the call.

\---- ---- ----

It was a little past eight when there was a knock at his door.

Wes absently straightened his shirt as he made his way to the door. Even though Travis has said it was nothing bad, Wes had still spiraled into a cleaning frenzy. He couldn’t shake the dread of what it could mean, and busied himself to try to ignore it. It didn’t help.   Wes took a brief moment to collect himself before he opened the door.

Travis was standing on the front step, hands in his signature leather jacket. He was rocking back and forward from the balls of his feet to his heels, in a slightly nervous, slightly impatient fashion. “Hey,” He said with the wide grin he always had.

“Hey,” Wes replied.

Wes opened the door more and motioned for Travis to enter. The other seemed to step inside in bounds. There was an odd silence between them as Wes shut the door.

“You want something to drink?” Wes asked, both to be a polite host, as well as feel the space with something.

Travis didn’t answer, but he followed Wes into the depths of his house. He lingered just in the space between Wes’ kitchen and the little TV room off to the side of it, in a way that seemed like borderline pacing. Travis walked over to stand at the end of Wes’ bar counter as Wes put two glasses on the counter and filled them with water.

Wes pushed on towards Travis. “So you came to tell me something.” Wes said as he pulled back his hand.

“Yeah,” Travis said, running his fingers along the design that was cut into the glass. He glanced down at the glass, and seemed to watch his fingers follow the curves of the designs. “I’ve never told anyone this, for plenty of reasons, some of which you know.” Travis said in a kind of rambling way. “So, I’m maybe a little nervous, and don’t really know how to say.”

“Whenever you’re ready.” Wes said easily as he picked up his drink.

“I’m just going to say.” Travis said firmly. “I’m Santa Claus.”

Wes suddenly spit out his drink, making a huge mess of water all over his countertop. He turned to Travis sharply, to find the man just looking at him calmly. He scrambled to say something, and for a while only managed sounds. “What!” He finally managed.

“Well, really, I’m a Santa-in-training, cause there’s only one head guy who is, like, _the_ Santa.” Travis corrected himself. “But it’s not like an elf, because I don’t make the gifts, I just deliver them in a pre-assigned area and handle other things.”

“Is this some kind of joke?” Wes asked flatly, glaring into Travis.

“No.” Travis said honestly.

Wes looked at Travis hard for a second, scanning for any sort of tell that he was lying. However, he didn’t find any. Let out a shaky breath, he grabbed his forehead and squeezed at his temple in a forming headache.   He braced himself on the counter, staring down into its blankness in a forming rage.

“Get out,” Wes growled out.

“Wes, I know it’s a lot to take in, and I really haven’t explained it all.” Travis said in a gentle yet panicked tone.

“I said get out.” Wes said firmly, looking up at Travis with a cold look.

“Wes—”

“I can’t believe you— _this!_ ” Wes cut him off shaking slightly with anger. “Do you seriously think this is funny? Or are you just delusional? Or maybe it’s both.”

“I swear it’s neither, Wes.” Travis said holding his hands up.

“You know, this is what everyone does. Make fun of the guy who doesn’t get Christmas and never believed in anything. I had thought maybe you’d be different, because I actually liked you and had developed feelings of some sort, but guess I was wrong.” Wes stormed, jabbing a finger into Travis’ chest when he reached him. The other man took steps back but Wes kept up. “Well, it’s not my fault my parents decided not to lie about some fictional man in a red suits who would give me presents on one day of the year if I was good. And it wasn’t my fault they never bothered to entertain the idea of Christmas after I turned seven.”

Wes did his best to herd Travis towards the front door. It worked slightly.

“I can prove it you.” Travis said desperately. Wes stopped from a moment at the sound. “I can prove what I’m saying is real, that Santa is real.” Travis took Wes’ lack of a motion or pause in anger as a green light. “Santa always knows what people want, or have wanted for Christmas.” Travis paused and swallowed. “When you were five you wanted a hot wheels set, with a—”

“Almost every kid wants a set of toy cars when they’re young.” Wes cut him off. “That doesn’t prove anything. Now get out of my house.”

“I wasn’t done—”

“Out!” Wes shouted, just pointed at the door.

A tense silence feel on them. Wes refused to look at Travis, and swallowed back the emotions he could feel bubbling up. He had been such an idiot. Letting someone in so quickly, simply because everything just felt natural and easy, like it was all just meant to be. Not to mention he had let himself get lost in the meaningless wonder of the season.

“You only wanted them so you could put them on your wind—”

“That’s enough!” Wes snapped, shoving Travis towards the door. He tore open the door and shoved Travis out onto the front step. “Go!” He shouted before slamming the door and locking it.

Wes braced himself on the door, shaking hard in an attempt to keep it all in. He waited for the sound of Travis’ motorcycle to roar away, ten minutes, before he let anything out. Or let himself realized he wanted a chance to believe.

\---- ---- ----

“Working late on Christmas Eve?” Wes’s boss asked as they popped their head in his office.

They had left everyone leave early, like they did every year, because everything closed or shut down earlier on Christmas Eve. Most of Wes’ coworkers had left or where in the process of getting out of there as quickly as they could.

Wes just gave a small sound of acknowledgement in reply as he turned back to his work.

“Alright, just don’t work too hard, I hope you get out of this mood, see you Monday.” They said cheerfully.

Wes didn’t look up to watch them leave, and he didn’t spare them a wave. He kept his focus completely on the work he had in front of him. He listened to his boss and a few of his other coworkers heading towards the elevators to leave for the holiday. He waited till he was completely positive everyone was gone before he ran his hands over his face.

He was, for a lack of more satisfying word, sulking. He had been for the last four days. However, Wes’ sulking was not so much buried in ice cream, alcohol, and lying around in his pajamas feeling sorry for himself. It put him in a rather foul mood, which mostly everyone he worked with had gone out of their way to avoid him, and drove him into a working frenzy. All so he could just distract and forget. Maybe there was little bit of lying around feeling sorry about himself, but he did his best to hide it.

In the peace and quiet of his workplace once everyone had left, Wes focused a little less on the work in front of him, and allowed for some wallowing. He made himself so coffee and let it get a bit too cold to drink. He glanced at his phone and the collection of missed calls and text from Travis he had ignored.   It was only disrupted by the janitor who came in early, wished him a ‘Merry Christmas’ then left.

The sun had set before Wes knew it, which meant there was a pretty good chance that Wes was the only one in the building. He kept working however. Not wanting to go home to nothing that could keep his focus, which would lead to the lying around wallowing. He dug into cases that didn’t have a trail dates that were a while down the line just to keep busy. But he just needed something to keep him relatively busy.

Time wore on and he did take notice in the growing lateness of the clock. However, he didn’t do anything to leave, maybe out of stubbornness or a notion to leave after finishing up on a case that just kind of never happened. He could feel a tiredness setting in, to which coffee had no real effect in getting rid of.   All he did was put his head down for a bit.

Next thing he knew he was blinking awake like he had dosed off for a good while or so. A small, shinny, red, rectangular box came into focus.   With a groan he picked up his head and rubbed his face, as he looked down at the box in question. He didn’t remember getting a gift from anyone at work, or anyone other than him being in the building, much less someone who would leave something on his desk.

Slowly he picked up, finding it relatively light in his hands. He noticed the _to/from_ tag on the gift, with his name fancily written along the line that said to. Santa was written in a very bold, calligraphy style on the from line. Wes felt his brow knot together in confusion, but he found it oddly didn’t bother him.

He turned it over to pull at the tape on the back, while being careful not to rip the paper. He had always been careful with wrapping paper, one, because his mother told him to be, and two he never really liked tearing something opening. He popped the tape at the top and bottom of the box, before pushing it off to see what was inside. He stopped as he saw what was inside.

It was the hot wheels set he had wanted when he was five. All the same cars, the police car, the fire truck, even the fast looking car with the flames on the side. Even the packaging was the same.   Looking like it had the day he had saw it and his mother refused to get it from him. Completely mint condition, like someone had jumped back not the past to grab it and give to him.

He peeled off the tape on the back that was connecting the paper to the box. He stared in awe at the set, trying to possible wrap his head around it. The only logical thing he could come up with was Santa, and there was no way that was true.

The sound of a chair running into something caught his attention.

“Hello?” Wes asked, getting up from his chair, clutching the box of toy cars.   He rounded his desk and walked to the doorway of his office. “Is anyone there?”

The door that led to his workplace clicked closed behind someone. Wes raised an eyebrow and cautiously making his way to the door in a bit of a haste. He pushed through, and wandered into the area by the elevators as a heavy door slammed shut to right. He turned to find the doors to the stairs. He pushed into the stairwell, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout. Wes walked to the rails and looked down trying to stop anyone, before he turned to look up. Two flights up he saw some duck back out of few and continue making their way up.

“Hey!” He shouted as he started racing after them.

The person did nothing to stop, and they kept their lead of two flights of stairs. They always seemed to turn out of view as Wes attempted to look. He growled as they completely ignored him, and he realized his phone was in his office charging, so he couldn’t use it to call the cops or anyone else for help. Wes followed the person all the way to the roof.

He pushed out of the door to the roof, finding himself slightly out of breath. He took a moment to catch his breath, before he turned to walk around the doorway to the of the stair case. As he rounded an industrial air conditioner he froze.

In front of him was a red sleigh, no bigger than anything that was pulled by one animal. There was a seat for the driver and maybe one other person, and an opening in the back, with something Wes couldn’t really see. Attached to the front of the sleigh was a reindeer, way bigger than the ones that had been at the fair, but just smaller than a horse.   On its reigns and holder that attached it to the sleigh there were huge jingle bells.   And at the front of the reindeer, patting at its snout was…

“Travis?” Wes questioned.

The darker man hardly spared him look as he grinned wildly. He was dressed in his leather jacket, fraying jeans, and hiking boots with a Santa hat resting on his head. “Hiya Wes.” He said calmly. Like a giant reindeer nuzzling his hand, while attached to a red sleigh was completely normal.

“That’s…how…but…it’s not possible.” Wes said as he looked between the sleigh, reindeer, and Travis. Wes’ eyes widened as he realized.

“Told you I was Santa,” Travis said as he moved over to Wes. “Well, Santa-in-training, but I do the heavy lifting kids care about…so Santa works too I guess.”

“You’re Santa.” Wes said in disbelief.

“Yup.”

“With a sleigh.”

“Yah, it’s right there.”

“And one giant reindeer.”

“I only need one.”

There was a moment of silence between them.

Travis suddenly pinched Wes on the forearm.

“Ow, what was that for?!”

“Proof you’re not dreaming.” Travis answered quickly.

“You’re Santa.” Wes repeated. Travis just made a bored sound of agreement. Wes turned to look at him, and found him standing there with his arms crossed and nodding at Wes. “So you gave me this?” Wes asked holding up the toy car set he was still holding.

Travis smiled and dropped his arms, tucking his hands in his pockets in jean pockets and bouncing on his feet. “Of course I did, now you can put them on your bed room window sill to show off.”

“How—”

“If you would have let me finished proving it to you, instead of kicking me out, I would have told you I knew that. I know the details surrounded stuff like this.” Travis said motioning to the car set with eyes. “Like I also know, your mother didn’t get it for you, and it was the last time there were any presents under the tree. And I know how much you really hoped that to be there.”

“Then way wasn’t it there?” Wes asked rather childishly. If Travis was there knowing about things no one but Wes did, it should have been there.

“You didn’t believe, Wes.” Travis said simply, and Wes felt his shoulders drop. “You’re parents never let you, and you took them so seriously you never let yourself even wonder. We can’t give gifts to people who don’t believe, no matter how hard they wish and want, if they don’t believe we can’t do anything.”

“But I technically still don’t believe in Santa.”   Wes said peering at the sleigh and the sentence felt weird on his tongue.

“Yeah, but you wanted to,” Travis said. “Turned out to be a nice little loop hole.”

“Lawyers are good at finding loop holes,” Wes said absently.

Travis burst out laughing at the words. Wes looked at him, and felt his lips pulling up a bit. He had missed the easy flows and exchanges between them. It was then that realized he wasn’t exactly sulking any more.

“I’m an idiot.” He said glancing away from Travis. “I should have listened to what you were telling.”

“No, you were being you.” Travis said with a shrug pretty much in his voice. “Even if you have a giant stick up your tight ass that also happens to be stuck in mud, it’s you. And I really kind of like you. Honestly, to be fair, I don’t think many people would have listened to me.”

“I think was a compliment buried in there somewhere.” Wes huffed looking at Travis again.

Travis gave him a bit of a playful look. Suddenly he clapped his hands together. “So, you want to go for a ride?”

“On the sleigh?”

“No, the invisible helicopter.” Travis said sarcastically. “Of course in the sleigh. I’m a fucking Santa-in-training, what do you think we’re taking.”

Wes looked at the other for a moment, before he moved to climb in the sleigh. As he climbed into the bench he noticed the bags of presents in the back of the sleigh. He took a seat at the far side of the bench. He admired the woodwork and detailing as Travis climbed in next to him and took the reins.

“You ready?”

Travis didn’t give Wes time to answer yes or no. His snapped the reins and with a huff the reindeer pulled forward, gradually going into a run. With a jump forward it steadily rose higher and higher with each step. The bells on the reins jingled loudly and with the study rhythm of the reindeers movements. Wes gripped at the end of the bench as they climbed a bit higher into the sky before it left out.

“How exactly does this work?” Wes asked, turned to Travis.

“Magic.” Travis said like it was obvious.

“Of course, what was I thinking?” Wes grumbled to himself.

He heard Travis snicker beside him. Wes nudged him in the ribs with his elbow and rolled his eyes when the other man looked over at him. Travis just turned away with smirk himself. Wes shifted to look over the edge. He could see the lights of the cars and buildings below.

“Won’t someone see us?” Wes turned back around to ask.

“Not really.” Travis answered. “Maybe one or two people will, but no one really thinks anything of it, or they find something to blame it on. Especially in the cities.”

Travis gave a sharp tug on the right of the reins. The reindeer took a sharp right turn between two skyscrapers. Wes found himself letting out a laugh.

\---- ---- ----

“This is my house,” Wes pointed out as Travis helped him down from the roof.

Wes wasn’t quite sure what happened. One moment was perfectly fine, feeling wide awake with the wind blowing in his face and all the exciting turns Travis was taking, and the next he was sleepy. The kind of sleepy where he was basically drunk and stupid. How he ever managed to not topple off his roof or not hurt Travis in the progress was something he couldn’t process.

“Yes it is,” Travis said gently.

He led Wes along onto his porch and to the back doors of his house. Wes was about to point out that they were likely locked, but Travis just kind of waved his hand in front of the handle before grabbing it and turning the knob. Wes felt himself zone out, and Travis pushed him inside to break him off that. Travis led him down towards the hall that led to his bedroom.

“Alright, you go change and get ready for bed, I’ll do…something.” Travis said.

He gave Wes a nudge towards the master bedroom and Wes continued on. Robotically Wes changed out of his suit, and put on his pajamas. He wondered into his bath room. He washed his face from the day, brushed his teeth and floss. Something again he couldn’t process how he was even doing it correctly.  

Once he finished he wander back out towards the hallway, and found Travis just waiting outside his doorway. He hurried into Wes’ room when he saw the blonde was ready. Travis maneuvered Wes to his bed. Wes felt his tiredness sink in more as he pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed, haphazardly throwing his throw pillows off to the side. Travis pulled the covers back over him once he was settled in bed.

“Night, Wes.” Travis said as he leaned over to look Wes in the eyes.

“Where are you going?” Wes asked sleepily, fighting to keep his eyes open.

“I have to go do my job, and deliver toys to all the good boys and girls.”

“That’s from a song or something.”

“Yup, now to go sleep.”

Wes couldn’t keep his eyes open any more, but he reached out for Travis as some last ditch effort. He grabbed hold on his wrist. “Stay,” Wes uttered as sleep pulled him under.

As he faded away he felt Travis’ hand slip of out his own and a small, “I’ll be back soon.”

\---- ---- ----

Wes woke up from a dream about sweets and Christmases he never hand before. The sight of his pale bedroom wall greet him, with his silent alarm clock reading just a little past nine in the morning sitting in the corner of his eye.   He lay still for a moment, just staring at the wall.

He didn’t remember coming home the night before. Well, he did, but it involved a giant flying reindeer, a red sleigh, and Travis. He was pretty certain that was a dream as well, because there was no way in that was really happened. As much as he wished it had been. He sighed and sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eye.

Glancing around his room, he found his throw pillows tossed on the ground and his work clothes just lying on the floor and not in the hamper. With groan he flopped back down onto this bed. He pulled the covers over his head. Why not lie in bed all day; he had the whole day off and literally nothing to do. The best thing to do was sleep.

He pushed the covers back down, and rolled onto his back. Staring up at the ceiling, he let out a sigh. He laid there for a few moments before turning his head to look at his alarm clock again, simply to watch the time pass by. It seemed like a way better idea than looking at the ceiling.

However, that was when he saw the hot wheels car set he had gotten in his dream. Wes propped himself up with his elbow and reached for it, twisting in his bed. There was no way that could be really, Wes was pretty certain he was awake. He sat up slowly looking at the box and its perfect condition he remembered as it had been from his dream. It was then that he heard the muffled sound of music throw his door.

Wes raised an eyebrow and sprang out of bed, leaving the toy car set behind. Opening his bedroom door he was greeted by the sound of a _Santa Baby_ playing. Wes hurried down the hall towards his living room and kitchen. He stopped in the opening between the two and gasped.

Next to the kitchen was a huge Christmas tree, which was nothing short of the word perfection. It was decorated in such a manner that looked like it came from a catalog, or movie, completely professionally designed. Red, blue, silver, and gold ornaments hung on the branches, glittering with the yellowish hue of the white Christmas lights. Golden tinsel lined the tree in rings, and the whole thing was topped with a fancy star. There was even a toy train going around the base of the tree, that whistled every so often in its circle around.  It was very similar to the tree his parents had before they just stopped putting it up.

Paper cuts outs of snowflakes hung from the ceiling, while paper chains lined the wall. Nutcrackers and other sparkling decorations sat onto of tables, and the flat tops of furniture. There was a plate of cookies that were in the shape of various Christmas shapes. But it didn’t stop there, the whole area smelt like pine and cookies.

On the couch in the seating area, Travis was passed out. Still in his leather jacket, fraying jeans and hiking boots, just like he had been in the dream, or was it seriously the night before. The Santa hat was a pushed forward on his head, to block out the light. His arms were crossed like he had just been sitting there and dosed off.

Wes walked over hesitantly, peering down at Travis sleeping form. He poked at Travis arm, to find it was warm, solid, and very real. Wes sharply turned to look at some of books he had laid out on the table, and found the titles completely readable. So he was definitely awake. Turning back to Travis he poked at his arm again, and again, before it turned into gentle shake. Travis seemed to wake up with surprised sniff, and moved to straighten his hat.

“Keep your shoes off my furniture.” Wes snapped.

“Good morning, and Merry Christmas to you too, Wes.” Travis grumbled as he took his feet off the couch and moved to set up while stretching and yawning.

“Did you do this all of this?” Wes asked gesturing at the decorations in the room around him once Travis was done.

“Some, I got help from the big man.” Travis replied looking around. Wes gave him a confused look. “Head Santa, like _the_ Santa Claus. He was more than willing to help.”

“Oh,” Wes said as he looked around. There was a small a part of him that felt like rolling his eyes or being sarcastic, but for the most part, it just felt like it made since. “It’s very nice and…festive.”

“Too much?”

“Not as much as you might think.” Wes said

“It’s missing something though.” Travis said as he rose from the couch and stood close to Wes.

Wes gave a questioning him, and Travis pointed up. Only a glitter light shot up from Travis finger and towards the ceiling with a small jingling sound. Wes watched it hit the ceiling and spiral around something in a way that looked like the cliché glittering animation used in Disney movies. A small cluster of leaves with a red bow formed, as the magic fell and faded away.

“Mistletoe?” Wes said looking up at it. “Now this all might be a bit too much.”

“Really I think, it brings the whole room together.” Travis said smiling at him, and Wes realized how close they actually were.

Wes rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t fight the small grin on his lips, because it just seemed like that’s what Travis would contribute to the room. Santa-in-training or not.

“You know, technically you never broke up with me.” Travis said, pulling Wes’ attention back to him. He took a small step into Wes’ space, and Wes let him. “You just kind of kicked me out and ignored me.”

“Most people would consider that a break up.”

“Others would see it as a bad fight. Got to look at the glass half full on this.” Travis said with a sly grin. “Besides, you never said anything along the lines of us being over or done. Therefore, we’re still together.”

Wes looked Travis in the eye and shook his head slightly.

"So, I take it last night wasn’t a dream.”

“Nope,” Travis said taking another step closer to Wes. His breath dusting Wes’ face as their faces were centimeters apart. Travis hooked his arms around Wes waist. “You know its bad luck to not kiss under the mistletoe.”

“No it’s not,” Wes said as he looped his own arms around Travis’ waist as well.

“It should be.”

Wes rolled his eyes, but pushed forward to kiss Travis. He felt Travis grin as push back himself, holding Wes a little bit tighter, and angling his head just so. Wes pulled away after a moment, only for Travis to pull him back in for a slightly deeper kiss that made Wes head spin and heat up.   He pulled away as Travis released his hold on him.

“You want some coffee?”

“I was up all night delivering presents to children, what do you think.”

“I think I’m started to like the fact that you hit me with your shopping cart.” Wes said as he headed for the kitchen.

**Author's Note:**

> Ta-Da...?
> 
> Long fic is long!
> 
> I feel like I kind of flopped at the end. What can I do... I hoped you guys liked it!


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